The Boy Who Became a Giver of Wishes
On a bright morning, under the dappled light of the forest canopy, a young boy named Adeel wandered along a winding trail, kicking aside fallen leaves as he daydreamed of adventures. His family was simple, living in a small cottage on the village’s edge, and Adeel often escaped to the forest to imagine a world where he could help his family live without worry.
As he stepped over a mossy log, something glinting beneath the dirt caught his eye. Curious, Adeel knelt and dug around it, pulling out a brass lamp covered in years of grime. The lamp felt heavy, warm, as if it held a secret.
Wiping the dirt with his sleeve, Adeel rubbed the lamp to clear the inscription, but the moment he did, smoke poured out in thick silver clouds, swirling into the air like a dance of mist and moonlight. Adeel stumbled back, eyes wide, as the smoke formed into a towering figure with a glowing aura—a Genie, with kind, wise eyes and a gentle smile.
“Fear not, young one,” the Genie’s deep, soothing voice echoed among the trees. “For freeing me from this lamp, I shall grant you three wishes.”
Adeel’s heart raced, his mind spinning with disbelief. Was he dreaming? Could this truly be happening to him, an ordinary boy with nothing but hopes in his pockets?
Taking a deep breath, Adeel thought carefully. Wishes were powerful, and he did not want to waste them on fleeting desires. He remembered the cough that kept his mother awake at night and the pain in his father’s back from working in the fields.
“Genie,” he began softly, “my first wish is for health for myself and my family, so we may live without sickness.”
The Genie nodded, and a warmth like sunlight on winter skin washed over Adeel, filling him with peace.
“My second wish,” Adeel continued after a pause, “is for financial security for my family, so we may never go hungry again.”
The Genie’s eyes glowed, and Adeel felt the promise of comfort, of full meals and warm clothes for his siblings, settle over him like a blessing.
As he thought of his final wish, Adeel looked up at the Genie and said, “Genie, I am thankful for what you have given me, but for my last wish, I would like to give it to someone else who needs it more.”
For a moment, the forest fell silent, the leaves still, the birds pausing their songs as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Then, the Genie threw back his head and laughed, a sound like a river flowing over stones, full of joy and relief. “You, young one, have passed a test that no one in centuries has passed. I have waited thousands of years for someone to offer their final wish to another, and today, I have found that person in you.”
The Genie’s form shimmered, and he reached out to touch Adeel’s shoulder. “From this day on, you shall carry my powers, able to grant wishes to those who truly need them.”
Tears filled Adeel’s eyes, but they were tears of wonder and gratitude. He thanked the Genie, who smiled warmly before dissolving into a gentle breeze that rustled the trees.
Running home, Adeel felt the power in his hands, a promise glowing in his heart. The first person he saw was a child in the village, sitting in a wooden wheelchair, watching the other children play with longing eyes. Kneeling beside him, Adeel whispered, “What is your wish?”
The child’s eyes widened. “I wish I could walk.”
Adeel closed his eyes, felt the warmth of the Genie’s power, and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Light surrounded them, and slowly, the boy stood, taking trembling steps before breaking into joyful laughter.
Next, Adeel visited an elder who lay sick in bed, pale and frail, waiting for the end. “What is your wish?” Adeel asked softly.
“I wish to be well again, to see another sunrise,” the elder whispered.
Adeel granted the wish, and color returned to the elder’s cheeks as he sat up, tears of gratitude in his eyes.
Day by day, Adeel continued, using the power the Genie had given him to help others—fixing the broken, healing the sick, bringing hope where there was none. And in each smile, each tear of joy, Adeel discovered that while receiving wishes brought happiness, granting them brought a fulfillment far deeper than he had ever imagined.
Moral of the Story:
True happiness lies not in receiving, but in giving and bringing light into the lives of others.
